Review on 🚗 Enhanced Connectivity: Road Top Wireless CarPlay Retrofit Kit Decoder for Mercedes Benz C Class W204 (2011-2014) - Wireless/Wired Android Auto Supported, Mirrorlink & Reverse Track Camera Included by Daniel Espinoza

I have a 2013 Mercedes C300 4Matic. The upgraded HK sound system sounds very good and there is a video screen on the dash. However, this one generation is too old for Apple Car Play or Android Auto. It came with a factory Becker navigation system which is clunky, useless and doesn't have decent real-time traffic etc. My streaming had to be done directly through the phone, and while Google Maps (or other) navigation commands were audible through the speaker, I had to look at the phone to see the maps. It always seemed to me that there must be a way to mod Android Auto (in my case) for this car. It seemed like this road top device might be the answer. I was nervous about buying it because installing it requires some operations on your dashboard. There's a video on YouTube, but you should be able to tear the dash apart and reassemble it. This took me a whole day, but after doing it once I could probably do the whole job in 3-4 hours now. I took the factory navigation box out of the glove box and routed the cables through the factory holes to the road top box that is there now. Since I have a slightly older version of Android, I chose to connect my phone to the device via USB and an auxiliary jack on the center console. The USB port is in the passenger footwell and I disassembled part of the console between the seats to route an auxiliary cable to the storage compartment where the auxiliary plug is located in my car. As far as its usage, well, it's not perfect. . You have to disconnect and reconnect your phone every time you start the car for the device to recognize it. At first it seemed buggy, but then you find out what the device likes. It can be slow and freezing. Most of the instability was fixed by replacing the USB cables. I used a new cable, but when I replaced it with another one I had, the device became stable. USB cables are more than just cables, and as I've learned from other devices, they often fail. I also used to think that I have to turn off the car every time I want to reset it, but apparently there is a reset function in the device. Your "back button" that you used to toggle between the Road Top device can be held down for a few seconds, which will reset the device while driving if something goes wrong. Now that I've been using it for a while, it works reliably, but you still have to plug your phone in and plug it back in when you turn the device on after starting the car. People tell me that my voice doesn't sound as clear when I'm on the phone with the device. Instead, it looks like you can still connect your phone to the excellent Mercedes system and have the device play music in the background (when you hang up) or look at maps even while on a call through the Mercedes phone system. (The device connects to the Mercedes audio system via USB and an optional cable, while your phone also connects via Bluetooth for calling purposes.) The only issue I had, and it was a big one, was that it had a high sound gave whine. Noise when playing music. Email to Road Top China customer service really got a reply! Real conversation with someone who wants to help! In the end they suggested I add a ground loop isolator between the auxiliary wire and the vehicle input. They even sent me a Revain link to the correct product and then refunded the purchase price of the isolator. Now it sounds crystal clear. They also answered a few other questions I had regarding usage. The unit comes with instructions but to be honest as I'm no electronics expert it took a bit of fiddling mainly because there are many connection options depending on your specific setup. Normally, when buying such a product, one has the feeling of being alone. Customer service was a very pleasant surprise! Device restrictions are Android Auto restrictions, mostly restricted apps, but it does what I want: lyrics, Pandora, YouTube Music, Google Maps, etc. The interior of the car is up to date and if you're careful and willing, it's worth it to master the installation. Good buy!